Selma Blair is living her painful and brave truth every day.
In a raw Instagram message she shared on Sunday, January 13, the Cruel Intentions actress wrote an update of what her life is like with multiple sclerosis.
“There is a truth with neurogedenerative [sic] brain disease. It is uncomfortable. It is a stadium of uncontrollable anxiety at times. Going out, being sociable holds a heavy price,” she wrote next to a photo of her snuggling with a stuffed animal. “My brain is on fire. I am freezing. We feel alone with it even though the loving support has been a god send and appreciated.”
She continued describing her new reality. “People write me asking how I do it. I do my best. But I choke with the pain of what I have lost and what I dare hope for. and how challenging it is to walk around,” wrote Blair, who has posted photos of herself walking with a cane. “But my smiles are genuine. This is ok. Life is an adventure with many shards of awakening.”
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society describes the condition as “an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body.” The cause of MS is still unknown. According to the organization, most people are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50; the disease affects more women than men.
The 46-year-old star currently stars on Netflix’s sci-fi drama Another Life. She revealed her MS diagnosis on October 20, 2018 in another Instagram post, saying she received the news that she had the degenerative disease on August 16 at 10:30 p.m. At the time, she thanked good friends, including Jaime King, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr. for supporting her.
Even with the emotional and physical help with her battle, the mom of Arthur, 7 (with ex-boyfriend Jason Bleick), faces personal struggles. “I can’t sleep at night but daytime I have trouble staying awake,” she wrote.
Still, Blair — who has previously talked about her gratefulness for her sobriety — is trying her best to stay optimistic. “I have a full week ahead with mothering and appointments and things to look forward to,” she wrote. “But like many of us, I am praying. Soaking in love where I can. It’s not easy. That’s ok. I send love to you.”
